Big Dig

[JLB]

Firm pleads guilty to fraud for supplying bad concrete for Big Dig
By Sean P. Murphy and Andrew Ryan, Globe Staff

A federal judge accepted a guilty plea today from Aggregate Industries NE Inc. for supplying 5,700 truckloads of substandard concrete on the Big Dig as part of a settlement in a fraud case that will cost the company $50 million.

Roberto Huet, president of Aggregate, the region's largest concrete supplier, stood in US District Court in Boston and agreed to the terms, which will help create an endowment to fund future repairs of the Big Dig. Judge Joseph L. Tauro asked Huet how the company would plead.

"Guilty," Huet said.

Fred M. Wyshak Jr., the federal prosecutor who headed the investigation, explained that "the policy of Aggregate was to provide concrete for the Big Dig that did not meet contract specifications."

"Leftover concrete on some occasions was mixed with new concrete and used on the Big Dig," Wyshak said in court. "On other occasions, entire truckloads of concrete rejected as too old or having too much water was used."

http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&ct=us/3-0&fp=46e0985aadf5f42e&ei=2n7gRsWUApugavDUqZwI&url=http%3A//www.boston.com/news/globe/city_region/breaking_news/2007/08/firm_pleads_gui.html&cid=0

[JLB]

The Problem

Boston, Massachusetts had a world-class traffic problem, an elevated six-lane highway called the Central Artery that ran through the center of downtown. When it opened in 1959, the Central Artery comfortably carried about 75,000 vehicles a day. It has carried upwards of 200,000, quite uncomfortably, making it one of the most congested highways in the United States.

Traffic crawled for more than 10 hours each day. The accident rate on the deteriorating elevated highway was four times the national average for urban Interstates. The same problem plagued the two tunnels under Boston Harbor between downtown Boston and East Boston/Logan Airport. Without major improvements to the Central Artery and the harbor crossings, Boston expected a stop-and-go traffic jam for up to 16 hours a day - every waking hour - by 2010.

much more:http://www.massturnpike.com/bigdig/background/index.html

[uppy]

Firm pleads guilty to fraud for supplying bad concrete for Big Dig
By Sean P. Murphy and Andrew Ryan, Globe Staff

A federal judge accepted a guilty plea today from Aggregate Industries NE Inc. for supplying 5,700 truckloads of substandard concrete on the Big Dig as part of a settlement in a fraud case that will cost the company $50 million.

Roberto Huet, president of Aggregate, the region's largest concrete supplier, stood in US District Court in Boston and agreed to the terms, which will help create an endowment to fund future repairs of the Big Dig. Judge Joseph L. Tauro asked Huet how the company would plead.

"Guilty," Huet said.

Fred M. Wyshak Jr., the federal prosecutor who headed the investigation, explained that "the policy of Aggregate was to provide concrete for the Big Dig that did not meet contract specifications."

"Leftover concrete on some occasions was mixed with new concrete and used on the Big Dig," Wyshak said in court. "On other occasions, entire truckloads of concrete rejected as too old or having too much water was used."

http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&ct=us/3-0&fp=46e0985aadf5f42e&ei=2n7gRsWUApugavDUqZwI&url=http%3A//www.boston.com/news/globe/city_region/breaking_news/2007/08/firm_pleads_gui.html&cid=0


But,but,but, I thought this stuff only happend in Iraq ? And with Bu$hco's
rich buddys ?

[sukie]

What ddi the ACEs say about the construction? Was it up to New Orleans Levy standards?

[JLB]

But,but,but, I thought this stuff only happend in Iraq ? And with Bu$hco's
rich buddys ?

post number 2 link is pretty damning.

no this shit happens right here in the bluest of states.

:beers:

[uppy]

What ddi the ACEs say about the construction? Was it up to New Orleans Levy standards?

I think thay said it looked like a union job (demo hacks) I'd bet the levys
were union work to.

[JLB]

The annual cost to motorists from this congestion - in terms of an elevated accident rate, wasted fuel from idling in stalled traffic, and late delivery charges - was estimated at $500 million.

And traffic wasn't the only problem the old Central Artery caused in Boston. The elevated highway (which displaced 20,000 residents when it was built) also cut off Boston's North End and Waterfront neighborhoods from the downtown, limiting these areas' ability to participate in the city's economic life.

[uppy]

post number 2 link is pretty damning.

no this shit happens right here in the bluest of states.

:beers:

True,but the left stands quite why ? :rofl:

[JLB]

True,but the left stands quite why ? :rofl:

they enjoy Simon and Garfunkel.:D

[JLB]

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[Shama-Lama Ding Dong]

But,but,but, I thought this stuff only happend in Iraq ? And with Bu$hco's
rich buddys ?


Whoever said that greed was so limited?

[anEinherjer]

Well there better be some jail time in here somewhere...

[35Pete]

Right-wing circle jerk with spunk flying all over their monitors.

Would some of you please read the goddammned mother****ing article?????????????

Christ. Talk about stupid.

[35Pete]

What I find patantly transparent is the INEFFECTIVE neutralization attempt of the critcism of the war by finding something similar that "they" are doing and insinuating "SEE! They do it too!!!!!"

Well. What about people like me that equally hate republicans and democrats? Think I'll be impressed with this BS? Think I'll be intimidated by it?

You guys with your disingenous nonsense just bought some extra critical attention to this subject by me. The cheap "moral equivalency" damage control tactic ain't gonna work.